High-explosive composition



WENIDELL It. SWIN'JD, 01E WILMIIIGTON, DELAWARE, ASSIGNOR T0 E. I. DU FONT JDE NJEMIOUBS & COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

HIGH-EXPLOSIVE COMPOSITION.

1W0 Drawing.

This invention relates to high explosives such as dynamite, and more particularly to nitroglycerine explosives of the permissible t pe.

The chief object of my invention is to provide explosive compositions of lower density than it has hitherto been feasible to manufacture. v

Explosives .of the permissible type have previously been made of such a density that a cartridge 1%," in diameter and 8" long will weigh from 160-180 grams. An exampleof the composition of such an explosive is:

, Percent. Nitroglycerine 10 onium nitrate Wood flour" 5 Corn meal '5 Many variations have of course been made in formulas of this type, as for example, a substitution of from 320% sodium chloride for a corresponding roportion of ammoi nium nitrate; the use 0 similar percentages of sodium nitrate replacing ammonium nitrate; the substitution of other carbonaceous mate-. rials, such as starch, ivory nut meal, sawdust, wood pulp, etc, for corn meal or wood flour.

It is desirable for certain purposes to secure explosives of lower density than those at present available. The lowest density which it has hitherto been possible to obtain in explosives of this type corresponds to a wei ht of about 135 grams for a cartridge.

in diameter and 8" long, and this is 1% attained by the use of a specially high grade wood flour, which is expensive to manufacture.

I have discovered that bagasse pith, that i is, the pith obtainable from sugar cane after extraction of the sugar therefrom, may be successively substituted for part or all of the carbonaceous, non-explosive, absorbent material commonly used in explosives of. the kind above-mentioned, and that the resulting high explosive has a substantially lower density than corresponding explosives containing, as the absorbent ingredient, wood flour,

50 ivory nut meal, etc.. Thus I have discovered that by substituting bagasse pith for wood flour and other carbonaceous materials, I can Application filed April 13, 1922. Scrial No. 552,345.

produce explosives having a density corresponding to a weight of as low as 125 grams for a cartridge 1%" in diameter and 8'' did long. In order to secure the desired results,

25% or lower. Other methods 0 sugar manufacture in which theentire cane is first shredded and dried and then extracted with water to remove the sugar also may be utilized in obtaining bagasse pith of properties which are satisfactory for use in my invention.

While my invention is capable of use in many difierent forms, for the purpose of illustration I will confine myself to the use of bagasse pith in explosives of the so-called permissible type which are used in coal mines where gasiand dust exist in quantities which may be dangerous if ignited by the flame from an explosive.

As an example of my invention, I might use the following composition:

Per cent. Nitroglycerine 10 Ammonium nitrate 7 5 Sodium nitrat 5 Bagasse pith 10 It should, however, be understood that I can vary such percentages quite widely and can introduce other ingredients without departing from the spirit of the invention; Thus, for example, I may usetetranitrodiglycerine in place of nitroglycerine in order to make the explosive low freezing, or I may omit sodium nitrate entirely or increase its percentage appreciablyf. Instead of sodium nitrate, I may use sodium chloride'or I may use any of the well-known methods. for depressingthe temperature of the flame in order to secure an explosive which will be safe to use in dusty and gaseous coal mines. For a portion of the bagasse pith, I may substitute other carbonaceous materials, such as corn meal, ivory nut meal, flour, etc.

The most important ranges of proportions of ingredients may be indicated as follows:

- Percent. Nitroglycerine from 71-15 Ammonium nitrate from 40-85 Sodium nitrate from 020 Sodium chloride from O-2O Bagasse pith from 5-15 Although the most advantageous application' of my invention is to the manufacture of permissible explosives, it is also useful, as above indicated, in the manufacture of other high explosives ordynamites. For example, a typical dynamite, using bagasse as the chief absorbent ingredient, may have the rfollowing formula Parts. Nitroglycerine 40 Sodium nitrate 41 Bagasse 8 Sawdust 5 Corn meal 5 Chalk 1 I claim:

1. A non-gelatinized explosive composi tion containing a normally liquid high explosive, ammonium nitrate, and suflicient bagasse pith to substantially reduce the density of said composition.

2. An explosive composition of the permissible type comprising nitroglycerine, ammonium nitrate, a non-explosive salt adapted to reduce the flame temperature upon explosion of the composition, and sufiicient bagasse pith to substantially reduce the density of said composition.

'3. An explosive composition of the permissible t pe comprising ammonium nitrate, bagasse pith, sodium nitrate and from about 7 to 15% of nitroglycerine.

4. An explosive composition of the permissible type comprising nitroglycerine, ammonium nitrate, sodium nitrate, sodium chloride, and sufiicient bagasse ith to substantially reduce the density of said composition.

5. An explosive composition characterized by its low density and comprising from about 7 to 15% of a normally liquid high explosive,

from about 5 to 15% of bagasse pith, and ammonium nitrate.

6. An explosive composition characterized by its low density and comprising from about 7 to 15% of a normally liquid high explosive, from about 5 to 15% of bagasse pith, from 40 to 85% of ammonium nitrate, and a salt adapted to reduce the flame temperature upon explosion of the composition.

7. An explosive composition characterized by its lOW density and comprising from about 7 to 15% of nitroglycerine, from about 5 to 15% of bagasse pith, and ammonium nitrate.

8. An explosive composition having a nitroglycerine content of about 12%, ammonium nitrate 1O to 85%, sodium nitrate about 5%, bagasse pith 5 to 15%, said explosive being of low density. a

9. An explosive composition containing a normal] li uid hi li ex losive ammonium" nitrate, and bagasse pith, the density of said composit on being such that a cartridge thereof 1 in diameter and 8" long Weighs about 125 grams.

10. An explosive composition of the permissible type comprising nitroglycerine, ammonium nitrate, a non-explosive salt adapted to reduce the flame temperature upon explosion of the composition, and suflicient bagasse pith to reduce the density of said composition to a value such that a cartridge thereof 1 in diameter and 8" long Weighs substantially less than 135 grams.

11. An explosive composition comprising from about 7 to 15 per cent of a normally liquid high explosive, from about 5 to 15 per cent of bagasse pith, and ammonium nitrate, the density of said composition being such that a cartridge thereof 1 in diameter and 8" long weighs substantially less than 135 grams.

12. An explosive composition comprising from about 7 to 15 per cent of a normally liquid high explosive, from about 5 to 15 per cent of bagasse pith, and ammonium nitrate, the density of said composition being such that a cartridge thereof 1 4" in diameter and 8" long Weighs about 125 grams.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WENDELL R. SWINT. 

